


Three Become One

by laenamorada



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-06
Updated: 2014-07-06
Packaged: 2018-02-07 17:39:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1907898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laenamorada/pseuds/laenamorada
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Ron is making his feelings known to Hermione, her heart is being pulled by two sides. During DH, canon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

“So, what happened between you two when I was gone?” Ron asked. They looked at each other for a moment before they answered, each one with a different thing, both half lies.

“Hermione was submerged in books”

“We went to Godric’s Hollow” they spoke simultaneously. Ron raised an eyebrow, they looked from one to the other; he knew something was going on. They were both dried off and warmed up after their unexpected arrival. The good thing was that they had retrieved the sword of Gryffindor. They had settled near the flames Hermione conjured, Ron was very excited to be back but sensed something different.

“Spill, I know by Hermione’s face that you guys had a fight over something” She opened her mouth, but no answer came to mind. In spite of herself, she could not even think of a viable answer. Harry ran a hand through his hair deep in thought.

“We didn’t have a fight” was all he said. “What happened with…”

“Are you hungry Ron?” she interrupted crossly. He shook his head eager to hear what Harry was about to say “You look frighteningly pale, if it’s not hunger you should rest.” She spoke pointing to his bunk. He moved lazily from where he was on the floor. “Great, you guys rest and I’ll stand watch” she turned her back on him, which meant only Harry could see her face. Ron didn’t take notice of the meaningful glare she gave Harry. Harry didn’t react but was squirming inside.

“What’s got her knickers in a twist?” Ron asked.

“I guess it’s that time of the month” he answered dully. He knew full well what was on her mind.

“I guess” Ron replied in-between releasing a big yawn. Harry snuck into the bed beneath him and counted the seconds before he heard his first snore.

One,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

There it was! After he heard it he silently crept towards where Hermione stood watch. He reached behind her and pulled out the spare wand Ron had given him. She was practicing wordless magic and had still to acknowledge him. He took his free hand to her neck and caressed slowly. She jumped back in surprise.

“Harry!” she said shocked, but barely above a whisper.

“Hey” he answered softly. She let his hand return to her jaw line for a second.

“None of that!” she scorned him. He looked hurt for a second before he pulled his hand back, he looked around. She stared down on him; he knew she had warned him.

“Hermione...” she stopped him with a wordless silencing charm. Whatever he had to say she didn’t hear. His fingers traced his throat, _Bloody hell, not again._

“I don’t want to see him get hurt, or for either of us to fight. I am mad enough at him as it is.” she stated blankly. “Whatever happened… it’s behind us” A small tear was threatening to leave her, she watched the darkness in front of her, she couldn’t be that selfish to ignore Ron’s advances and be with Harry. He reached up to take her tear away when a quick movement of her arm and wrist brushed it away. She looked at him caringly. “Do you understand?” He nodded unwillingly. She silently removed the charm, knowing he hated her for it.

“I won’t breathe a word” he promised to the darkness. She smiled for a moment, the same one she flashes when she had satisfactorily accomplished a tough essay, Harry noticed but said nothing.

They sat there in silence for a long time without a word or glance at each other. A constant hoot of an owl nearby was the only sound to be heard.  It was a cold December, but so far not cold enough for snow. She was snuggled beneath a thick winter coat, leaving only her neck exposed to the cold, that and her rosy cheeks. Harry tried not to stare, but wanted to observe her, trying to understand the fine line between her anger towards Ron leaving them yet her heartbreak about it, and now… she was still angry, but something was different. He knew she had feelings of some sort for him, but was unsure if it was the same as his. He did love her as a sister, but at the same time, he loved her more than he would a sister. He wanted to kiss her again.

“What about when he’s asleep?” Harry proposed. Hermione rolled her eyes, partially annoyed at him breaking the silence, partially irritated for his boldness. She turned to him, ready to give him a piece of her mind.

“N…” was all she could say. His lips softly reached up to hers and kissed her tenderly. He was so sweet and slow, she forgot all about her complaints and was soon kissing him softly as well, a hand reaching up to hold his cheek. She felt his lips form a smile when she started kissing back. After a few minutes, he pulled back. A mischievous grin lingered on his lips, causing her to roll her eyes again.

“Only if you promise to be _extremely_ careful” she agreed, determined for him to see how serious she was. He nodded and kissed her cheek. He leaned against her and they continued watching the darkness. Soon enough, silence surrounded them again.

Suddenly, she laughed quietly. He moved: thinking it was rather a sob, ready to comfort her. She was biting down on her lower lip to keep the laughter not too loud, a grin on her face.

“What is it?” he whispered to her.

“Remember the first time I pointed out that you fancied Cho and were surprised that I knew?” she said. He nodded, not sure why she laughed “ I was just remembering how I knew all along, since third year” she smiled.

“Oh, ‘Mione, why do you have to be so silly to talk about that? For me, you’re the only one. I seem to remember I was jealous of Krum, but you always supported me with Cho, didn’t you?” she shared a secretive smile with him.

“I guess I had” she said shortly, avoiding the mention of Victor. She knew that what she and Victor had had was very deep, very real, she’d take those past and not so long-ago weeks of summer to her grave. She was more than glad he realized Ron was uncomfortable with the attention he was giving her during Bill and Fleur’s wedding. She watched the movement of leaves up in the trees and every so often yellow glowing eyes on a night creature not far from the forest they were living in. They remained in silence again, for the longest time: the whistling wind and uncertain hoot every so often forming a melody.

“You should get some sleep?” Harry said around three. She shook her head. She had learned a jinx for not needing to sleep more than a few hours a day, though part of it was the insomnia that an unknown factor that was always there kept her up.

“You go sleep, I’ll stay here for a few hours and try to find food for when the sun comes up.” She answered quickly. He toyed with a strand of her hair for a moment until she forced herself to look at him. He was smiling down on her, deciding where to kiss her. She smiled too, causing him to choose her lips. After a few minutes he got up and went to his bunk beneath Ron’s.

Hermione watched him go and then resumed watching the night: _What had I been thinking?_


	2. Two

Ron was woken by the scent of breakfast. Eggs and something else… He looked around; since Harry was nowhere to be seen he assumed him to be still asleep. Hermione was busy in the kitchen. He rubbed the remains of sleep out of his eyes and got down. He wondered over to her and she smiled knowingly that the scent would wake him. However, she refused to let him see it.

“Morning” she said boringly, schooling her lips into a tense line, as she poured salt and paprika on the eggs. She was still quite mad, even though she was thrilled to have him back, she was still sore and made sure he knew it.

“Morning” he said quickly before releasing a yawn.

”I’m almost done. Will you wake Harry?” she asked. He nodded, blinking repeatedly. He was still a bit sleepy. 

“Mate,” he said as he hovered over his bed and shook him a little. He was glad he wasn’t holding his hand to his scar, which meant he hadn’t had a bad dream. “Breakfast” he supplied as he stirred trying to locate his glasses.

“Smells good” he said sleepily.

“Yeah, I can’t wait to taste that” he replied. Harry got up quickly, his pajamas had ridden down and his button up shirt was splayed open. She saw his state of disarray, and could not pull her eyes away. He put everything on properly as he approached Hermione, noticing how she looked at him, but not daring to comment.

“Where’d you get eggs?” he asked curiously.

“Nest” she supplied as she set the big plate with three forks between them and seated herself besides Ron. She greedily got her fork in quickly (as did Ron) But she was looking for some water quickly as she held the fork fanning it over her mouth. “Hot!” she explained. Harry looked at her and suppressed a loving smile, replacing it with a small laugh while Ron laughed at her not being able to “handle the heat” She produced herself some water as they both seemed unable to help her.

“They’re great, your cooking has definitely improved” Ron added. She didn’t know whether to roll her eyes or accept the compliment. She remained quiet. She took her next bite slower. For a moment, she sensed Harry not approving of her lack of eating but she dismissed it and stood up, with the excuse of washing the pan. She also didn’t feel in the mood to give Ron a chance for more out of the way compliments. She was still resented towards him for having left.

“Harry,” Ron whispered with a mouth half full of eggs. Harry chewed down and answered with his brows. “See that? It’s as if I never left” He winked, somehow Harry avoided a smirk or grin come to his face and gave him a thumbs up that made him sour inside. He knew Hermione had heard. Oh yeah, they were in trouble.

Hermione held in a sigh, she knew she loved Ron just as much as Harry. It was selfish of her to want them both. Ron was a klutz, but this year he had never stopped complimenting her and didn’t bicker with her so much. Harry has always needed her and cared for her, and she knew how tense and worried he was all the time. If only the three of them could escape reality.

“You guys done?” she asked, hoping they’d say yes.

“I am, it was great” Ron said, rubbing his belly

“Aren’t you gonna eat anymore? You barely ate” Harry stated. She looked hard on both of them before turning to face the sink again.

“Is that a yes, Harry?” she asked boringly. Harry took the plate and came over to her; it was empty except for a bite. He offered it to her. She glared icily at him. He knew he didn’t want to upset her so he took it instead. He tried to place the plate in the sink instead of besides which required his arm to snake around her. This earned him a huff and frown. Cursing himself, he went back to Ron, _Bloody witch._

He knew that she was barely eating, and she knew that he noticed, still they didn’t talk about it.

“I’m taking a shower” she informed after turning off the faucet and leaving the kitchen area to go to the bathroom. They both looked up. Ron with hopes to join her. Harry knew that she was actually shaving and plucking her brows, her skin was a bit reddened and she looked refreshed after she did that not so often. She showered just as often as they got a chance.

She locked herself in the bathroom, alone with her thoughts. _Harry was more observant, whereas Ron often mistook her for a trophy. I have fancied Ron ever since I found his jealousy for Victor was so transparent. Harry and I have been best friends since forever, but now he is different, good different, the different that didn’t get tired of looking at her and observing her. I can’t have feelings for both of them._ She wanted to hurt herself for a moment for thinking about something so stupid.

After more than enough time passed with fierce tears streaming down her face, she proceeded to wash her face and remove any unnecessary hair from her body, simply because of custom. She checked herself in the mirror before leaving the room. Her face was still a bit red, but she knew just the spell to hide it.

The guys were playing wizard chess when she entered.

“How productive” she looked down at them but decided to go along and lounged on a couch next to where they were. She figured this was as good a time as ever to take a nap.

Minutes after she had fallen asleep, Ron turned to Harry. “Check mate” he said with a satisfactory smile, Harry looked at him in defeat, he’d lost. He reclined back in his chair, stretching his back, his face turning to watch Hermione deeply asleep.

“Hey, Harry” Ron started “Don’t you think we need more firewood?” Ron proposed. They were kinda running low.

“Sure, let’s go” Harry said.

“You go, I’ll stay. I’d be bad manners to leave Hermione alone” he stated, it did kinda make sense, but the odds of her waking up were very low… but he kept quiet.

“Fine” he said, getting a small idea that he wanted to be alone with her in order to apologize. He left. Ron watched a few minutes pass on the wall clock before going near her.

“Hermione…” he called to her. She moved her head slightly, she moved a bit more. He reached down and cleared her hair from her face as he spoke again.

“Love…” he tried. She nuzzled into the couch. He thought of a better way to wake her. “Hermione, the books are walking away…” he whispered into her ear. She woke up startled, almost bumping into Ron besides her.

“Where are the books?” she said, with sleep completely gone from her. Ron laughed, she narrowed her eyes quickly.

“They’re safe” he supplied. “Come here” he asked of her and she sat nearer him. Too soon he had shifted and was kissing her intensely; she realized the meaning beneath the kiss and started responding. Eventually they both needed air.

“’Mione, back home… I realized how much I need you and want you. I know I’ve been a jerk, and a prat, and a piece of dung sometimes…” he could’ve gone on, but her mouth shut him up quickly. They continued kissing each other, pausing to say sweet phrases to each other every so often. Somehow he had gotten her in a horizontal position along the couch as they continued kissing. They continued kissing, Ron eagerly and Hermione trying to keep the pace.

That was until something falling and someone talking in hisses brought them back to earth. Hermione quickly pushed Ron off with a strength she didn’t know she had, while she cleaned some saliva from her mouth with the back of her hand. “Harry!” she called shocked.

Ron was trying to come to his senses as he was lying down sprawled on the floor.

“Hey, you two” he finally said, stopping his parseltongue rant. He cleared his throat, his fiery eyes moving from one to the other. “Ron, you failed to specify we needed _a lot_ of firewood” he said angrily.

“Mate…” was all that Ron managed to say, not understanding why he was so mad. Hermione realized what was going on and quickly took matters into her own hands. Casting a silencing charm and a shield charm before any could start screaming at each other, which especially Harry was about to. She seated them, quite away from each other, ready to talk seriously.

“Harry” he stared hard at her “I’m in love with Ron” Ron smiled smugly.

“Ron” he looked gladly at her “I’m in love with Harry” he couldn’t have looked more shock. “Now process” she said, but she was clearly the most stressful one, she started pacing. Ron was trying to understand while Harry realized she was hard at thought. He soon realized that this was not a time for his temper.

“Done?” she asked, both shook their heads, she removed the spell.

“WHAT?” Ron spat out furiously, she flung herself to an empty armchair and pulled her hands to her face. “I didn’t mean to” was all she managed to say. Harry was quiet, thinking hard.

“Ron,” he started.

“YOU BETRAYED ME! YOU KNEW HOW I FELT ABOUT HER! YOU HAVE GINNY! YOU…!” he stopped, realizing he didn’t know a thing. “Do you love her too?”

“Yes!” he answered quickly. Ron’s face twisted in an almost painful way.

“Aw, mate… Don’t tell me the two of you shagged when I wasn’t here!” he exclaimed miserably. They both shook their heads. He was relieved for a second, and then plopped back on the chair.

“I think we can work this out” Harry proposed, Hermione was still hiding beneath her hands and Ron looked bewildered at him.

“What are you saying?” Ron asked.

“The three of us. We’ve always been friends, what’s to say we can’t work it out?” Harry proposed.

“Mate, I’d never consider such a thing!” Ron proclaimed loudly.

“Ron, for Hermione, can’t you see how broken she looks just thinking about choosing between us two?” Harry signaled. Ron looked at her but failed to see beneath the shame displayed by her hiding her face still.

“’Mione,” Ron got nearer, “What do you think?” he asked tentatively.

“What the bloody hell can I say without insulting either of you?” she questioned rhetorically. “I saw how you reacted before, Ron” she stated icily, thinking of his screaming fit. “And don’t think you’re getting on easy, Harry. I told you how I felt about Ron” she looked at him with great disappointment. But her face couldn’t stay angry for so long, inside she was disgusted and frustrated with herself.  She wanted to cry it all out and hide beneath this world. She didn’t notice she was starting to have trouble breathing, she was starting to choke up and her eyes, though looking downwards, were getting a crystalline glaze, and she started to crack her fingers in desperation.

Harry shortly decided he had had enough and walked past Ron to her and hugged her tightly, she let tears fall freely down her face and sobs emerged softly from her.

“I never… wanted… this… to happen” she said trying to be clear, but only a voice above a whisper came forth. Harry soothed her with soft and tender hands traveling her back and silly phrase to make her feel better. To hell with his promise to not act upon his feelings in front of Ron. Ron realized that he should be the one comforting her and wanted to hold her too. He realized he was being selfish, Harry was as much her friend as he was, and he had always relied on her. It made all the sense in the world that she loved them both equally. He tried to think of something while Harry continued to sooth her gradually.

“Shhhh” could be heard every so often from Harry in an attempt to calm her, but she continued shaking and tears rolled freely every second.

“See, Ron hates me, all because I have been so selfish” she spoke in less than a whisper in Harry’s ear. She had her eyes shut. Harry’s arms around her held her tight, not forgetting Ron, but like she was all that was left in this world.

“You are not selfish” was all he managed to say between her sobs and spasms. “Come, honey, sit” he pulled her to the large couch in which she and Ron had been snogging minutes earlier. As soon as she sat, he enveloped her again softly and tenderly.

Ron, after watching for the longest time, finally came to his senses and sat to her other side, placing a hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay, Hermione, I understand” he said, trying to be heard over her sobs. She stopped sobbing and tried to even out her breathing as she looked at him. Soft tears threatened to continue to fall. He reached to her face and wiped the tears softly with his thumb.

“I understand” he said more clearly again. She threw herself at him and continued crying..

Harry had never seen her like this: strong, confident, smart, independent Hermione was showing her weakness and vulnerability openly. He noticed how beautiful she looked with her emotions in plain view and counted the seconds in between in each sob.

Ron’s arms were loosely around as she cried into his shoulder, unsure of what to do next. A really big part of him wanted to kiss her. He noticed Harry dazedly watching her. He realized he was being selfish as well.  He tried to grab Harry’s attention without Hermione noticing. He tried to talk with his face, quite effectively. He beckoned him closer and motioned for him to follow his lead.

Harry shifted slowly and cautiously. Ron started to lay soft kisses on the part of her neck closest to him. She pushed herself of his shoulder, more than ready to tell him that he should not. But she was stopped by soft and tender kisses that traced along her jawline. Slowly, dread started to drain away from her as she was filled with pleasure. She closed her eyes again and felt the differences between them. Whereas Ron’s mouth was smaller, his kisses were hungrier. On the other side, Harry’s slightly larger one was softer and his kisses were much slower and less demanding. Harry’s arm wrapped around her, the second she loosened her grasp on Ron slowly.

“Oh!” she said, both stopped, and looked at her: one concerned, one curious. She blushed, making her shining face even more beautiful. “One of you tickled me” she answered smiling. Harry was fastest to react.

“Was it here?” he wondered as he laid another where her jaw ended meeting her ear.

“Or here?” Ron said quickly, placing the kiss near her carotid. She giggled

“How can I tell if you do it at the same time again?” she asked, logic kicking in again. They both rolled their eyes. Ron kissed her first, then Harry.

“Oh!” she said again as Harry touched her weak spot. Ron went to the same spot on the other side obtaining the same result. He smiled, he had found it.

“Are you okay, then?” Harry asked concerned.  She sighed

“Yes” she stated. “I think I can manage.” She said mischievously, looking from one to the other.

“Good” Harry stated, considering the options of a threesome, but he didn’t dare be blunt again.

“Um, we should work on investigating where some of the other horcruxes are.” Hermione proposed, suddenly embarrassed of all the attention she was getting.


	3. Three

During the next week, they didn’t say much about what had happened last week between the three. After Hermione interrupted them, Harry made an excuse of practicing wandless magic, Ron said something about his chess set needing to be cleaned and Hermione settled herself on a couch with _Disguise and the Magic of Appearances._ The week slurred on slowly, both avoiding mentioning her breakdown. However, things felt different. One of the guys would occasionally sneak up to her and kiss her. She could now tell who it was just by a single kiss on her neck without looking back. Harry would only do this when Ron was nowhere near, Ron simply if Harry wasn’t watching. She was still surprised every time, but responded carelessly to both. Feeling the differences and touching the back of their necks, taking in his scent.

She was slumped on a couch with a large Dark Arts book that said more than you ever needed to know about Horcruxes, she had found it deep in the Grimmauld Place library. The other two were looking for some nuts or fruit to eat, though she omitted to saying that there would be seldom anything in this rocky place.

_The perfectioning of a Horcrux takes practice. Whereas a single first attempt might fail, a successful one can easily take too much of one’s soul. This means that while a greater majority of one’s soul is held in an object, then one will never again be able to share certain feelings of love and friendship, including lust. Horcruxes are meant for people late in life to leave an imprint for those close to them._

_You can usually see horcruxes in ancient wizarding houses, but you would never guess that they are so. In mirrors and portraits, for example, many wizards have managed to successfully leave a part of them. This is not the same as a regular moving portrait. Whereas your common portraits can move amongst their other portraits and talk to other people, a horcrux portrait can actually tell a person about their lives and that person’s secrets long after their death._

_However, these images have a risk: after the wizard casts it, in the case of senior wizards, death will come much closer. Life itself shall remain through the object rather than themselves._

_On regular horcruxes this deterioration is nonexistent. For example a locket or a special item; It has been known for a few wizards to leave their horcrux on their wands. In this case, longevity might be seen, and in many cases wizards shall live longer than they usually do._

_Some people dare to say that those who successfully build themselves a horcrux, that is, dividing their soul into equal pieces in one’s body and an object, can cheat Death itself._

As enlightening as the book was, Hermione felt that this was the most dangerous and malignant kind of magic to exist. There had been no references to multiple Horcruxes in the dusty large book. This made her even more frightened of the empty shell that the daft and cruel Voldemort was.  She thought for a few seconds about the possibility of Tom Riddle ever thinking to even be worthy of love: growing up in an orphanage and finding a home in Hogwarts even where many people admired him, but none really liked him. His habits of pushing people around and bullying them in childhood possibly never left him. She wondered about the possibility of a girl making him happy.

 She felt a soft breath on her neck.

“The Perfectioning of a Horcrux” Harry read the title in a soft voice besides her ear. “Anything important?” he asked.

“Yes, there is nothing, absolutely nothing on multiple horcruxes. People have died trying to perform one horcrux and _he_ made seven!” she was as much scared as she was amazed. Harry closed his eyes.

“Yeah” he choked out. Hermione suddenly felt bad about sounding so amazed. She looked at him concerned.

“I didn’t mean for it to sound like that” she replied.

“It’s okay, just surprising, really” he said.

“I am just happy there is one less out there” she replied, trying to remember how happy he was about Ron coming back and them destroying the locket.

“Yeah” he had pulled himself over and was sitting next to her. “His diary, his grandfathers ring, Slytherin’s locket” he said.

“Hmm. The cup, Nagini,

“Something from Ravenclaw or Gryffindor

“and him.” Hermione finished, but she had a small theory she wasn’t keen on telling Harry. It was just that, well, it had been done: a horcrux on another soul and without either wizard noticing. It would certainly explain why they could connect their minds, as Harry one said it: when he’s feeling especially evil.

“What is it?” Harry asked, she had her thoughtful was on.

“Nothing” she brushed him off and closed the book.

“Hermione…” he insisted.

“It’s a dumb theory” she replied, he raised an eyebrow. He looked so stunning when he made that face. She smiled.  “I’m not telling” and with that she pressed her lips to his. It was the first time she initiated a kiss between them, so far it was always Harry who kissed her. Not the other way around. But he gave into the kiss passionately. She pressed her lips together between his lower lip, softly trying to deepen the kiss. He sucked on her upper lip and then opened his mouth too. They kissed deeply, their tongue’s held back as their inhaled each other’s scent. Hermione’s mouth formed a smile as she felt his hands on the small of her back. He stopped for a second and looked deeply into the open doors of her soul. Her eyes shimmered under the semidarkness of the tent and he felt her hand twirling a few stray hairs at the back of his neck.

“I’ll be wanting the answer later” he said quickly before diving in for another deeper kiss. This time it was just as sweet, but with a little more urgency to it. They tongue wrestled trying to reach as far in. They were still sitting next to each other, his hands were moving slowly to feel the skin beneath her blouse and her hands traveled between his collarbone and neck. He tilted his head slightly and their mouths fitted better together. They felt the warmest they had since their last steamy kiss. She moaned softly when his hand traveled a bit more southward. He smiled against the kiss and pressed her butt again. Her next moan was so sweet. Her hand started to travel south as well, the one that used to be on his neck caressed his pectoral softly. She let go of the book, without caring for it slumping onto the floor beneath them. She placed a hand on his knee and she slowly moved upwards. He cupped her butt completely and felt her weight shift heavily towards him, he felt himself slump to the couch and they continued to kiss each other sweetly and softly. He remembered the spot near her ear and nipped a kiss there. But then she started pulling back.

“Harry…” she was about to stop. He could see in her eyes that she still wanted more. But then he noticed something was not right.

“Where’s Ron?” he asked. It was already dark out and he should have been there by now. She looked around. She pulled her shirt down unconsciously as she reached the entrance. He was just nearby. Harry stood beside her as she called him over.

Ron smiled from where he was, with the sun setting behind him. He was hovering something in front of him with his wand.

Hermione tried to make out what it was.

“Ron, is that a pie?” she asked. He nodded eagerly. Harry looked awed, his stomach rumbling, it had been a while since they had had a real meal. Hermione elbowed him.

“Can’t help that I’m hungry” he stated as he took the pie from the air and took it inside.

“How did you get that, Ron?” Hermione asked a bit suspiciously.

“Shh… Let’s eat” Harry proposed, not caring about where the food had come from. Ron started digging in too.

“Muffle copafe” he said with his mouth stuffed.

“Excuse me?” she insisted. He swallowed.

“Muggle cottage” he repeated before stuffing his mouth again.

“You stole this?!?” Hermione exclaimed.  He got red.

“It was on the window cooling down. Merlin, it smelled so good, `Mione” he replied, trying to find an excuse. “I confounded her into thinking she had not done it yet and then took it” he said, stuffing himself silly again so as to not answer to her. She opened her mouth to protest again. But then closed, thinking better of it. She took a fork and seated herself between them and took a proper sized piece.

They dropped their jaws. “Well, I might as well, then I won’t have to try and cook tonight, we all know I am not really good at it” she explained. “At least Ron had enough common sense to obliviate her” she said. “Hmm… Green apple. My grandma used to make a pie like this!” she said and took a bigger piece the next time. Ron was comfortable again and continued eating at a fast pace. 


	4. Four

He leaned over to him, a secret on the verge of making him explode. “Ron” he said to him. “I think it’s about time we talk about Hermione” he told him. Ron stopped inspecting the wizards chess in front of him. He started to feel awkward but supposed that it would have to come eventually.

“Right...” he said unwillingly. Harry checked once more that Hermione was too absorbed doing wandless magic in the entrance to the tent.

“Look, I know you are as uncomfortable with this as I am” Ron snorted quietly.

“Bloody hell no… _you_ were the one to suggest it” he said. “I’m just doing this for Hermione” he rectified quickly.

“Me too” he said, without thinking that it needed any clarification.  “Anyways, what I wanted to say…” Harry started.

“I really love her, mate” Ron interrupted him. Harry paused. He observed him: Ron was trying to hide under his gaze, knowing full well that Harry was trying to read him. It was worse than when he questioned him about Lavender and him.  

“I know, me too. She’s… she’s always been there for me” Harry explained, trying to remain focused on why he had started this conversation.

“But… this summer…. I thought it would be you and Ginny for good, and Hermione and me. I mean, she even ignored Krum at the wedding!” Ron reasoned. Harry had not mentioned his talk with Krum, and still saw no need for it.

“Ron!” He interrupted. “Yeah, that’s all true but you’re not letting me talk!” he asked. Ron kept his mouth shut.

“Well, she” Now was a bad moment to be unsure of what to say. “I think… She’s wants to have sex” he told her.

“Who wouldn’t?” was Ron’s witty response. “I mean, it’s completely natural” he reconsidered what exactly he meant.

“Yeah, but I don’t think she wants to have sex with me” he clarified.

“Well, I must say, I am the attractive one of us two” Ron said cockily.

“I don’t think she want to have sex _just_ with me” he said again.

“What? Are you saying what I think you are saying?” He asked him above a whisper, after which he looked towards Hermione again, still unaware of their ongoing conversation. Harry simply nodded and looked her way also: her bushy hair was pulled into a messy knot at her head that exposed her bare creamy neck.

“Mate…” Ron started. “That’s ridiculous, why not have sex with each separately?” he proposed.

“What, simply let it happen as if it was no big deal?” Harry responded. “I want sex to be something special for her first time, for mine too” Harry explained. Ron’s face fell.

“Gee, never looked at it like it. Yeah, girls don’t take losing their virginity lightly, and that’s possibly why she hasn’t…” he trailed off. Harry nodded again.

“So, do we talk to her about this?” Harry suggested. Ron nodded. Better to get it over with soon as well. “Hermione” Harry called her over. She turned her head quickly first, then smiled at them both before standing up. As she walked over, Harry was all to absorbed in the twinkle in her eyes as she made her way towards them both. Ron on the sway of her hips. Neither saw closely enough how she stuck her wand in the knot of hair and twirled a curl in her finger before letting her hand trail down and then sit besides Ron.

“Hey” she finally said. Harry smiled her. Ron grinned slyly as well; he placed an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Harry kept the smile on.  “What is up with you two?” she asked.

“Um, Hermione…” Harry started to say. “I really do love you” he started to say, Hermione knew that but restrained from rolling her eyes and smiled sweetly at him as he continued. “And I want _our_ first time to be special” he said, making sure to include Ron in the sentence. Hermione looked from one to the other unbelievingly.

“You guys want to have a threesome?” she spit out. Her eyes were bulging, from unbelieving or excitement Harry couldn’t tell, but her mouth was forming a small o after that. Ron turned to Harry, his glance said everything: _I knew this wasn’t a good idea._ Harry ignored him and looked at Hermione.

“Well, I just thought it would be unfair for only one of you to be with you on our first time” Harry continued, unable to stop himself form going red after saying it.

“You mean when I lose my virginity?” she said, unable to avoid being blunt. _Oh, god. They were going to have a thrill with this one._

“I mean… if you want too…” Harry continued.

“Well, I don’t know…” she was unsure of how to continue with this. She couldn’t tell them the truth.

“What about… we just wait until the right moment comes along, whoever it is” she struggled to find the right words. “I mean, I don’t think that it should be planned, just let it happen” She thought about what Harry would likely respond to that. “It will be special no matter what, because I have you two” she told them, reassuring Harry with her gaze and Ron by grasping his hand tight.

“Fine by me” Ron said, he wasn’t a virgin like Harry and he did not care about being the last of the three, nor if they had sex together before him. He would rather simply have sex with Hermione. Period, no Harry. Eventually she’ll realize I’m the one she loves, 

“Okay” Harry said, both relieved and feeling a bit stupid about making such a big deal out of nothing. After thinking it through, he’s rather lose his virginity just with Hermione. _Just the fact that I really love her will make it special._ “I must look terrible stupid”

“No, I think it was really chivalrous of you to want to make it special” Hermione insisted.

“Yeah, besides, there’s still Voldemort to worry about” Harry replied.

“Shhh!” Ron said, unable to stop Harry before he said the name. “The bloody name is taboo!!” he exclaimed, he had completely forgotten to mention it. They looked at each other, not knowing what to do. But Hermione stood quickly, she grabbed her purple beaded bag quickly, pushing in the radio that had been nearby and everything else she saw around that they might need.

“Listen” Ron interrupted her walking around, she stopped. Voices were heard outside, even though they could not see them it was a matter of time before they muttered some incantation to see them.

She walked back to the two of them, pointing her wand. Ron and Harry followed suit. Before either noticed what was going on, they breached their protective wards. Hermione turned her wand on Harry… 


	5. Five

As comfortable as they were with Bill and Fleur in Shell Cottage, neither of them so much as glanced romantically at her the whole time. Not even when it was just her and Ron in the kitchen, not even when it was just Harry and her in the garden mourning for Dobby.  She tried to pretend it was okay, that she understood why it had to be done. But she was desperate, after having kisses every other hour, this abstinence was simply frustrating. And she was sure that it was not just her.

She waited and waited, and as the plan began to form, breaking into Gringotts, no one even sneaked a glance to check each other out, and she just knew that things were changing. She was afraid and one of them would somehow back out. Well, definitely not within grasp, but now that they knew it was certainly there, that the Hufflepuff Cup was definitely there, they had to get it. The plan evolved with help from every one. From Bill to Griphook, a plan was formed. She resolved to rid herself of thinking about kisses when there were such problems right now. Besides, a part of her was still afraid.

She was still having nightmares about Bellatrix. She was glad that they did not identify Harry, lucky he knew the correct answer to the question they held for impostors. She was sure that Harry was blaming himself. She simply did not have the courage tell him that she did not blame him, Dobby did not blame him, or tell him anything about that night without all the emotions running through her. That would lead to something else. She simply could not do it.   
  
Her façade held strong. She smiled at everybody, helped Fleur just as much as she could. Helped Luna get more comfortable again, she was in there for too long… She was strong enough to keep her sanity, but her physical self was in terrible conditions. As soon as she found her voice, she told Hermione the best of things.   
  
“Herms, it was impossible. I could not believe Ron was in there with me! And he kept screaming your name, pounding the door, I thought he was going to die of grief. Where were you?” she asked. Hermione started shaking before being able to form an answer to her. She could not hear anything but Bellatrix’s laugh, then and now. She remembered it from her perspective too well. She blinked deeply then addressed Luna again.   
  
“I was upstairs, Luna,” she explained, trying to not lose her voice. “They… the Lestrange’s… recognized me, but not Harry and Ron,” she said.   
  
“You saved Harry,” If it were not Luna, she would have questioned the person’s lucidity. Hermione merely smiled and asked her to keep eating. A few minutes later, she went out again. Harry and Ron were talking with Bill. She came closer. They continued talking.   
  
“You should know that goblins do not think in the same way that we do,” he said. Hermione knew that, it was enough to have one year of History of Magic to know that. Maybe for the rest of the student population who slept through the class, it was not that evident. The three of them nodded. “Just keep that in mind when making a deal with him.” Bill said, after giving them a stern look to rival his father’s. He walked away.   
  
“Guys, I…” but she lost it. The courage again.   
  
“Are you okay with impersonating Bellatrix? Even after….?” Harry asked, leaving the right portion unasked.   
  
“Yes, I am okay, I will do it,” she assured them both. Well, the idea of impersonating the person that had tortured her was a bit delusional, but she would have to pull it through. Griphook, Ron, Harry and Hermione had decided to do this. She considered for a second how she would feel if one of them did not make it out of Gringotts, but she shoved those thoughts aside.   
  
“Hermione, are you okay?” Harry, being his perceptive self, noticed that she was deep in thought.   
  
“Off course,” she lied easily, he noticed, but they both reassure themselves with the lie.   
  
“I think I am going to go see Dobby,” Harry said, leaving the two of them in the kitchen.  
  
Ron and Hermione look at each other. Hermione twirled her wand in her hand. He stopped her movements with his own hand.   
  
“Relax, everything will turn out okay,” he said and hugged her. She hugged him back, and allowed a few tears to escape her.   
  
“But, what if it does not? We have already been too close to losing each other once,” she said, her small frame surrounded entirely by Ron.   
  
“Shh,” he comforted her. She cleaned the tears away and held onto his neck.   
  
“It will work, it has to work,” she exhaled and reiterated quickly. Ron nodded. He lowered his head to whisper in her ear.  
  
“Yes, it will,” he said. She leaned in closer to him. Too quickly their lips meet together.  
  
His lips went directly to her cheek, and he then moved his lips slightly closer to her lips. She quivered at this unexpected shift and closed her eyes. He placed one hand on her waist to keep her in place and he too closed his eyes. When his lips reached hers fully a sudden electric shock went through her body. He kissed her deeply until she granted him access and they were French kissing. His tongue slid between her lips and tapped her teeth; her teeth sunk in a little at his lip and then released it. Tongue twirling ensued and her mouth formed a smile that fitted perfectly with his eager little kisses on her. Both gave in deeply into the kiss, his other hand had reached for her neck and was caressing it absently while her free hand was crumpling up through his hair as they stayed a few more minutes linked at the mouth.   
  
They disconnected from each other when they hear the door open. Fleur was there.   
  
“Oh! Desolèe, I’m sorry…,” she said and closed the door again. Hermione allowed her fears to gain control again, they stand holding each other for a few more seconds. Then she unwrapped herself from his arms.   
  
“Maybe when this is over…” she started to say.   
  
They both look away, with the same question on their minds… will we have time for us during this? Will there be an us, all three together, or even all three alive, when this is over?   
  
“Right,” Ron said and left the kitchen. Hermione looked after him confused. Did he just walk away…? She wanted to tell him what Luna told her, but she felt that it was not a fair question. She was resolving whether to try to talk to him again or not when Fleur walked in, again. She had probably seen Ron leave.   
  
“Hermione, I had no idea the two of you were together!” Fleur said, not able to hold her tongue much longer after she started setting up everything for dinner. Hermione gave a half smile and helped her get dinner ready.   
  
“I am not sure we are yet…” she said, wanting to be as vague as possible. “Oh, and don’t tell Harry! Or anyone for that matter, I am not sure it is a good idea with everything that is going on and all…” she stopped, hoping she had said enough.   
  
“Oui, your secret is safe with me,” Fleur promised and continued cutting vegetables.


	6. Six

“Hermione,” Harry said to her. She looked up from her book and sketches.  
  
“Yes?” she said. Harry came in with the sword in his hand. She puts aside 'A Lifetime More: Myths and Truths about Portraits', another borrowed book from the Black library.  
  
“I’ve been doing some thinking,” he said as he reached to sit beside her. Fleur made raspberry pie and Ron and Bill were busy stuffing themselves, Fleur had said something about Luna and Dean, and was with them both. She had retired to their small office, where a few books and a comfortable couch and desk are situated.  
  
Harry leaned back and pulled his hair with both his hands. Hermione laughed and pulled one hand away.  
  
“Are you trying to make yourself go bald?” she questioned with a smile.  
  
“No,” he replied with a sigh. “I just…”  
  
“Tell me,” she prompted softly, her hand wondering towards him to hold his.  
  
“I was wondering, you weren’t there, but, in the Chamber of Secrets… this sword materialized out of nowhere to the Sorting Hat, what if whatever charm placed it there, will still be acting even after Griphook has it?” he told her.  
  
“Well, I don’t know much about all the Magic invested on the Sorting Hat, but I am sure that if it went there once, it knows how to go back” she replied. He twirled the sword in his palm.  
  
“I am still trying to think of how careless I was with my words with Griphook,” he said. She rubbed his arm,  
  
“It’s going to be okay,” she assured him.  
  
“Will it? We still have Horcruxes that we do not even know where they are,” he said.  
  
“Not so many now, we know where the Hufflepuff Cup is,” she replied.  
  
“At the expense of you being tortured,” he said carelessly. She took her hands away from him and shivered in response. She did not even realize her involuntary shudder.  
  
“Oh, bugger, I’m sorry, ‘Mione,” he said to her, she shook her head and looked away. She instinctively went to grab her book again.  
  
“It’s okay,” she said, trying to quickly hide behind the book.  
  
“I did not mean it the way it came out,” he said. He grabbed the book from her. She leered down at him before choosing her words.  
  
“Yes, you did, you are blaming yourself, again!” she exclaimed to him.  
  
“Off course I blame myself!” he replied.  
  
“Well, if it makes you feel any better, I blame myself too!” she poked him as she said this. The sword that was leaning between his legs slipped away.  
  
“You should not do that,” he said simply.  
  
“And what gives you the right for it, then?” she asked softly.  
  
“I… I… I was not able to stop you from getting hurt,” he said.  
  
“On the other hand, I was not able to help mysel,f” she replied.  
  
“What?” he replied, not understanding.  
  
“Oh, Harry, I was so concerned about you and Ron that I forgot about myself. What kind of a person does that make me? I’d rather save your skin than mine,” she said with a sob. Altruist, she thought to herself.  
  
“Hermione? But, that was magnificent, you were thinking under pressure and still managed to save us,” he said.  
  
“No, I tried, but Dobby saved us,” she said with a tremble on her lip. “We got out, that’s all that really matters!” she said to him.  
  
“Precisely!” he shot back.  
  
“Then why are you blaming yourself instead of thanking the people that helped you? It is not your fault Dobby died, it was that awful Lestrange woman’s fault,” she said.  
  
“I guess…”  
  
“No, it’s not a guess, those are the facts,” she said to him. He looked up at her, they were both hiding their fears through anger.  
  
“Harry, only together we can be strong, only together we can beat him,” she said the last word with disgust. He nodded absently. She raised one hand to his face, knowing that he was not being entirely honest. “Harry, please, let me in,” she asked softly.  
  
“I don’t want anything else to happen to you,” he said. She nodded, feeling her eyes warm up.  
  
“I know, I don’t want anything to happen to you either, but… Hopes and dreams are just that. We are in dark times, and nothing can be certain. All we can do is to be strong together,” she confessed her thoughts to him.  
  
“Thank you, ‘Mione,” he said. He grabbed her face just as she did with his.  
  
Their foreheads touched. Hermione tried to hold back the tears threatening to fall, but Harry kissed them away by taking his hands and softly framing her face as his lips reached hers. Hermione felt electrical immediately through the fear shared through that kiss, and guilt diminished through it. Their mouths fitted against each other. Hermione eagerly held him as close as she could, wrapping her hands around his neck. His hands softly left her face and went down her back. Once he found skin, he found his way up again. Hermione’s tongue tentatively wet his lips, and he responded in kind, their caresses kindling their desire.  
  
“Harry—” she sighed out, completely out of breath when his lips traveled southwards to her neck. She ignored the moan wanting to escape her. She kissed and nibbled his ear as he continued southwards. Her hands began investigating more and found his skin under his shirt. They did not even realize that they were now in a horizontal position.  
  
The kissing deepened; the caresses became firmer grips as she felt her hair pillowing them against the couch. He felt the heat from her emanate towards him. Her writhing beneath him, craving more and more contact.  
  
“Oh, bloody hell” Hermione’s eyes snapped open and stayed open, she pushed Harry off herself and her sight immediately went towards the open door. She pulled her shirt down as she saw Bill holding the door open.  
  
“Ouch!” Harry said as he fell, she looked back at him for a second.  
  
“Bill,” Hermione said. Harry readjusted his glasses as he looked in his direction.  
  
“Bugger” Harry spoke in between a sigh, making the sound barely audible.  
  
“I’ll come back later,” Bill managed to articulate, still unable to close his mouth. He looks between the two of them for a second and then closes the door.  
  
“Oh, bugger,” Hermione says.  
  
“What?” Harry asks.  
  
“Fleur saw me and Ron kissing two days ago, I don’t know if she told him or not!” she said and went after him.  
  
“Bill” she said in a hush as soon as she reached him.  
  
“Look, Hermione, I am going to pretend I saw nothing. Because I know how infatuated my brother is with you, and how aware you are of that, as well. I would have thought a smart witch like you would know what to do in such position,” he said to her. Harry had caught up only to hear the last bit. Harry angered up at Bill’s assumptions, but did nothing.  
  
“Bill, look, just please, don’t tell anyone,” Harry asked.  
  
“I won’t, not even Fleur. And to think that for the longest time she had this stupid theory of Harry and Ginny, and then Ron and Hermione,” he said with a huff.  
  
“I…” but she found no words. Harry sheltered her with one arm.  
  
“Are you saying that because Ron has feelings for her too, I should not act on mine?” Harry said in hushed anger to Bill.  
  
“I’m not getting in this mess,” Bill said and walked away.  
  
“He won’t tell,” Hermione said, barely holding in the tears threatening to fall, this time because of real guilt. Bill was right. She had to do the responsible thing: chose.  
  
“Are you sure?” he asked, grabbing her shaking hand.  
  
“Yes” she said. “I have to… go” she said simply. He released her hand, and she walked dazedly towards the bathroom, one hand on the wall for support. Harry did not need to see it, but was certain of it: she was crying, she was feeling guilt, all because of what Bill told her. He just stood there unable to stand up for her.  
  
“Idiot,” he whispered to himself and punched the wall.


	7. Seven

“Ron!” she called out, hurrying to catch up with him. He had an idea seconds after Harry left with Luna.

Hermione was not sure if Luna was oblivious or aware of how Ginny reacted to Cho’s offering. Harry had sent her one of those intense stares in between, five seconds seemed to last forever, and she knew he was thinking of their last kiss. She had then rolled her eyes, trying to convey to him that she was not jealous nor worried about either girl, regarding with who he went. She thought it silly to not allow Cho to take him, but then again, she could tell Cho Chang still carried a torch for her dear Harry. For her, knowing he did not love Cho was enough to trust him.

Ron stopped to wait for her besides the tapestry of Barnabas de Barmy where a hidden corridor lay. The halls were completely empty, no one seemed to be keeping watch despite it being late, for which they could only be grateful for. “Can you at least tell me what you want to do?” She inquired of him. He placed a chaste kiss on her left  cheek and smiled all the while.

“Well, you’re not gonna believe me, so I’m just going to show you” he replied sneakily. He touched her bum and helped her slide down the corridor. She grumbled all the way down, but landed standing on the third floor landing. It was dark; no one seemed to be doing rounds, still they moved carefully. A few embers glowed in the torched that lit the hall, there was no Filch, no Mrs. Norris not even Peeves to be seen anywhere near. She cautiously moved a few steps and simultaneously, Ron landed on his bum where she had just been. He complained softly, At least he did not land on top of her. She looked at him and laughed.

“Come along,” he asked and pulled on her hand. They descended one flight of stairs, so now they were on the second floor and then he guided her towards the girls’ lavatory. She gaped for a few seconds, then looked at him.

“Ron, this is not the moment to get randy! Honestly, the war could culminate today!” she sternly said to him. He did not stop. Then he went inside, still taking her by the hand.

“Hey, Myrtle” he said in passing to the ghost that stared at the two. He started checking every faucet, and sure enough, he found what he was looking for.

“Here” he confirmed, she looked at him quizzically. She still did not understand what he was trying to do.

“You’re not seriously going down there again, are you?” Myrtles squeaky girlish voice asked. Hermione looked between the two of them.  Then she remembered. “Actually, I am, and Hermione here is coming with me. This time, Harry is on another mission.” He smiled at Hermione, while finally she had the insight to understand what and where.

“Are you telling me that _today_ we are going to go to the Chamber of Secrets? At this moment?” she exclaimed, not really following his line of thought. She made to leave, but Ron grabbed her hip and brought her back. He placed her besides him as he stared at the tiny snake impression on the tap right on front of them.

“Hermione, if I manage to imitate the word open, odds are that a dead basilisk is down there. Most probably its fangs full of venom are still there, too. Only a parseltongue is able to go in, but…. Syazaath thanas aish eth” He says, slowly, rolling the s and twisting his tongue for the th sounds. Nothing happened. Hermione placed a hand on her hip. Myrtle giggled. “Wait” he closed his eyes, trying to remember.

“That sounds wrong and too long to mean open.” Hermione informed, only ticking him off. He tried again, ignoring her scholarly comment.

“Sye ahaz ath thanas ais aeth”  The moment the phrase finished, Myrtle was shocked to see for the third time in her life, well, her afterlife, the faucets move to permit a hole without stairs; large enough to hold a snake of mythical proportions with enormous yellow eyes that caused her death.

“Myrtle, please, don’t let anyone in this bathroom while we are down there. We have no idea what could happen in this short amount of time.” Hermione asked as she tucked her pants inside her boots. Ron gaped in disbelief at what he had accomplished. “Ron, this is brilliant! Let’s go.” She said to him. 

“I just remembered, last time, Fawkes got us out, I don’t know how to get back out once we are down there.” His plan had a flaw, a rather big one. Hermione, however, was quicker than him. 

“Good thing I have your broom in here” she said as she produced her purple beaded bag. Ron was starting to develop a small crush on that famous bag. Behind them, Myrtle had a shocked look, which did not suit her childish demeanor.  Ron looked towards the ghost and she giggled when Ron looked towards her. That was typical Myrtle, the giggle. Ron grabbed Hermione’s hand. 

“Ladies first,” Ron let Hermione jump in. She rolled her eyes, but went down anyways. She felt the tunnel would never end, until she had a soft and wet landing.

“Lumos” she whispered and light filled the room. She stood up and looked up, in the edge of the ceiling she managed to glance towards a snakeskin nearly fifteen feet long. As she moved forward, the light allowed her to distinguish a second one rolled up in a heap, 

“Blimey, it looks just the same as the last time I was here” Ron said as he landed a few seconds later. “That snakeskin besides you, it is at least twenty feet long.” She nodded her head softly, at the same time Ron set free the lights trapped in his Deluminator. Thankful for the light, she directed the light at the tip of her wand to disappear.

“This way” Ron said, trying to remember what direction Harry had taken years before, while trying to remember that Ginny was right now upstairs, considerably safe. Hermione followed close by, her wand clenched and her eyes scanning everywhere. Could it be that someone was down here? Or at least something living and breathing was still in this chamber?

“Ron, do you think someone is down here?” she voiced her doubt.

“Uh, well, the chamber was closed, and this place doesn’t look like anyone has been living it, even a basilisk” he took a right turn, then a left, then they reached a dead end and backtracked. He then got a scent and followed it. The slim passage that they had been walking opened up to reveal an enormous chamber with a rotting snake in the middle. A few torches were unlit on the pillars on each side, with a word Hermione lit them and they had a better look of the place. The carcass had dried blood where its eyes should have been, a missing fang, and all along its there were rats and bigger pests eating away, other bigger insects crawling while feasting on its flesh. “That stinks” Ron declared after a second.

Hermione felt the scent too, but ignored him and cast a repelling charm. All the vermin stood back from the head of the once legendary creature. It was bigger than Ron, and would have easily eaten a first year whole, its jaw was that big.

“This was Salazar Slytherin’s” Hermione said in awe.

“And Harry killed it to save Ginny” he replied. “I want to get out of here quick” he said. Hermione agreed and started to loosen a few fangs.

“Diffindo” she whispered towards the decaying gums of the basilisk. “Deprimo, Relashio” and then she was holding a basilisk fang. She tossed it down to the floor where Ron picked it up, she repeated the process for that whole side of the snake’s face. She then turned to Ron, who was holding most of the fangs in his arms.

“Seriously, Ronald” she was sometimes confused how he managed to be usually so his dim witted, but still on occasion come up with his brilliant ideas. She performed a Blunting Charm on the objects so he could manage them safely without pricking himself.  He smiled at her. She opened her bag to place each one of them inside, not really bothering on where they lay. She was holding the last one in her hand, her grasp on it strong. The fang was pearly white in the small section that had been inside the gum, the rest tinted yellow from the filth and years,  she could feel how lightweight it was and it still mesmerized her how powerful what she was holding was: Basilisk venom, so rare. Hermione sighed.

“Accio Cup” Ron called with his wand towards the bag. Helga Hufflepuffs cup shot forward towards his waiting hand. He offered the item towards her “I think you should do it, Mione” he said, stretching the cup towards her.  A gasp cut short in her throat, but she refused to panic.

“I think we can do it back in Myrtle’s bathroom,” she offered. Quite suddenly she had his broom in her hand. Ron looked at her puzzled, and then looked behind him.

This creature was not something they wanted to deal with right now. “Ron… grab the broom and get us out of here” she said pointedly to him. But he was processing, he knew they had studied it, but he had no idea what that creature before him was. Whatever it was, it was coming closer with a ravenous hunger, judging from the noises it was making.

It was too corporeal to be a ghost or a ghoul, too rosy and small to be an Inferi, too big to be a gnome. . What he knew, was that the smile he was shooting at them made his skin prickle and made him feel like dinner… his dinner. And he looked really starved. Then he saw Hermione take a few tentative steps towards the creature. The creature showed them more black teeth as its grin broadened, he then snapped his jaws open and close. This thing made Kreacher look cute.

Hermione took two more steps forward and the beast snapped his jaw, but no sound came forth. Ron was scared, and had no idea what to do. For the dumbest reason, he wanted to know what it was to use the right spell to attack it.

“Is that a red cap?” Ron asked. Hermione shook her head.

“Get us out of here,” she said. She knew it was no red cap, but getting away seemed more urgent.

“Should we cast a hex on it?” Ron asked. Hermione had kept carefully edging forward, and did not respond. The creature replied by advancing more urgently and less sneakily towards them. It seemed to know that they were much aware of him. That’s when Ron recovered his senses.

“Right” Ron finally came to his senses as Hermione dropped the fang and Hufflepuffs cup into her bag. Since she had moved forward, he mounted his broom and quickly flew towards her.

“Hermione!” he had to say quite loudly to grasp her attention. She seemed to be in some sort of trance, and he called her name again, realizing that she was not listening, he pushed off the floor, straight towards her and grabbed her by the hips as he then continued towards whatever creature that was to scare it off, passing higher when the creature jumped at them. As they gained height, a mass of bats swarmed out when it felt their zooming near the roof, but Ron ignored them. After about two minutes, Hermione regained her senses and tightened her hold on him as he sped towards the end of the hall and passageway they had come from and zoomed into the hole that had brought them here.

They landed ungracefully on the floor of Myrtle’s bathroom.

“What was that thing?” Ron asked Hermione. She shook her head.

“It’s an erkling,” she wheezed as soon as she could, surprised that Ron had not been entranced by it as she had. .

“Erlking? I don´t remember those” he drew in large gulps of air, his chest heaving, the adrenaline already leaving his system.

“You would if you had read Fantastic Beasts and where to find them,” she snapped. “They are child eaters. Didn’t you hear it?” she asked.

“No.” he said.

“I did, its laugh… and that horrible stare, a small part of me wanted to go to it. I know it was dangerous, yet I was lured towards it. I don’t know how I fought it” she said, trembling at the spot. “Close this thing, Ron”

“I don’t know the word for close” he said, and moved a bit, still on the ground, but now he was completely lying on his back.

“Great.” They both laid on their backs as the adrenaline drained out of them and they focused again on the task at hand. Finally, Ron got up.

“Destroy the cup” he asked of her. She got to her feet and accioed three objects from her bag. A vial popped into her hand. She drank half of it, then offered Ron the other half of the Pepper Up Potion. Then she held the Cup in one hand and the fang in the other. She noticed that this was not the other fang she was holding before, this one was larger and had a cavity.

 

 She had heard the diary and the locket fought back when they were about to be destroyed.

“Exacueres” she murmured at the fang. She felt the Cup in her hand shiver, and knew it was not her. She poised the fang as far as possible as she could from the cup, ready to bring it down.

“Don’t hesitate” Ron instructed her. Hermione looked at him, distracted, at the same moment the cup slid out of her hand and started rolling on the floor.

“It’s alive!” Myrtle scrambled away from where she had been floating while watching them. She left the bathroom, making a clamor on her way out. Ron heard her sniffle and moan as she left.

“Bloody hell” Hermione said and threw herself towards the cup. She grabbed it strongly in one hand, and forcefully brought her other arm with the fang towards it. The cup repelled the object, as if an invisible thin material separated it no matter how much Hermione pushed the fang towards it.

“Ron, you hold it” she said. He came forward and grabbed the Cup out of her hand. As soon as it switched hands, Hermione pushed again and this time felt the fang scrape the cup. She felt a rush of air and smoke cloud her, but she held Ron’s wrist firmly and the fang too as she pushed it deeper into the sould of Lord Voldemort. A scream came forth from the horcrux.

“ **Hermione Granger, I have seen your soul and I have seen your reason, we are not so different you and I. Ambitious. Loyal. Alone. Misunderstood. You know no one will ever really understand you. You will never be accepted anywhere and no one will ever really love you. I know what you need, what you love, what you desire… ”** A voice that sounded like ten voices at once resounded in her ears. She felt as if the small piece of soul contained inside that cup was looking into her. She pushed the fang across the width of the cup, as the voice merged into one final agonizing scream. 

Then Ron let go of it, burned by the smoldering cup.

“It is done” Ron said to her. She looked at the Cup, realizing she was shaking, and the cup stood lifeless between them.

“It is?” she looked at him for confirmation.

“Yeah, only two left.” he replied.

“And we know one of them is hidden inside Hogwarts,” she stated with a smile on her face.  She stuffed the destroyed horcrux inside her purple beaded bag, relief written expressly about her face. “The diary, the ring, the locket, and now the Cup.” She recited with relief. “Let’s go back to Harry,” she said.

As they left the bathroom, they noticed that the school was no longer as silent and empty as it had felt when they had first gone down. They had no idea of the chaos that had happened since they had been on the second floor, they had not heard the booming voice of Lord Voldemort when they had been deep beneath in the Chamber of Secrets.  They ran back while evading everything and everyone in their way, some walking, some running. He picked up at a fast pace behind her, and they went up the stairs and back to the Room of Requirement. Hermione held two old fangs in her hands, and Rom had kept his broom under his arm.

“Where the _hell_ have you been?” Harry shouted when he saw them skidding to a halt around the corner of the hall, almost running into them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That last line can be found: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow, p.622 Scholastic (American) Edition.
> 
> Erlking are mentioned in German lore and Fantastic Beasts and Where to find them, maybe I tried to make it seem more scary than it is, but then again, the heat of the moment makes everything seem much more scary. And I imagine it quite disgusting and creepy to watch, I didn’t say much for suspense’s sake.
> 
> About the parseltongue, heres the thing: I playbacked the movie five times, to hear Harry say it in DH1, and I reproduced as best as I heard it there. Afterwards, with some research, I mean, staying for the credits, I found Dr. Nolan Francis, who created the language for the movies. He’s a professor of Phonetics at University of Cambridge, what he does it amazing, using forensic phonetics for voice recognition and stuff like that. Anyways, his website didn’t say much about parseltongue, but HPwiki directed me to two pages that are, basically, functional phonetic translators for parseltongue, both gave me very different versions between themselves and compared to what I heard in the movie. I couldn’t find a written translation though, so this was my best guess. If you want to use any of these two: http://parseltonguetranslator.warnerbros.com/parseltongue.php and http://www.theparselmouth.com/ . That’s the only bit of research I’m sharing, I can tell you my most important source to be faithful to are the books, certainly, after all, I am trying to make it DH compliant…. Just filling in some things Rowling seems to have skipped over.


	8. Eight

A loud cackling bittersweet laugh rang in her ears, the woman from which it emitted was standing over her, her hips on tops of hers and a wand pressed to her left breast, just on top of her heart. Her breath was failing her, and the gasped for air as she tried to shake her head.

“Where did you get this sword? Where? Tell me where!” she struggled to breath, the woman had placed herself on her diaphragm and she could not breath. She focused on inhaling because it was the only thing she could do. She felt the cool metal of a short blade against her neck and a hard dull point of a wooden wand digging on her breast. She got enough energy to kick her legs and tried to dismount her, the only thing she achieved was making the blade press a little more against her warm, flushed neck, too close to her jugular.

“You have been inside my vault, you filthy mudblood! Don’t lie to me! How did you get this sword?” she continued to scream into her face, spit falling into her cheeks and forehead, mixing with her sweat. She clenched her eyes shut and concentrated on not saying anything, on not showing her pain. Because she could feel the witches intention.

“Crucio!” She beared all the pain, but could not help the terrible scream that erupted from her throat, the blade pressing further into her, slightly because of the stretching of her platysma muscles. The strain felt terrible, and loosened up a bit once the blade had torn some of the tissue. She opened her eyes and looked up at the witch, her porcelain skin, fragile yet so tough. Crazy eyes with bloodlust written all over them stared hungrily. She would be terrified of it, but she knew that she had to keep control of herself. She settled for simple paralyzing fear, not letting her get more of her. The pain seared through all her limbs as she repeated the curse.

“NO!!”she heard the yell come from all the way downstairs, it was Ron, she just knew. But she couldn’t turn her head to see, but the deranged Lestrange woman on town of her could, and in an almost imperceptible movement, the wand that had been bruising her chest left the spot to cast a curse in the direction of the approaching man.

She was still hesitant to move, and did not have enough will to plan, nothing came to her head but only one thought: I want to live.

“Avada ke-“Hermione gasped at the phrase starting to leave the womans voice and bucked her hips, no longer caring about the danger of the cool blade and tried to interrupt her phrase before the curse hits him.

“Avada Kedavra” Bellatrix Lestrange née Black said, just as she had said before to kill her traitorous cousin, she had no problem killing blood traitors. Hermione felt tears join the spit and sweat that covered her face.

“Now, where were we, mudblood?” she said, focusing back on the witch beneath her, She cast the painful curse all over her body again, and this time she could not help the spasms that followed. Hermione got a chance to open her eyes, everything was blurry, between the pain and the knowledge of Ron dead…  She could fight to be able to help Harry survive, try to beat these maniacs of blood status. But she could also let it end here. And she could, it would have been so simple and so fast, and so painless to push herself upwards to the waiting knife that pressed her pulse. She started to ignore the pain, hoping that was a better way….

“I killed the mudblood! I killed Hermione Granger!” she heard her cackling, teasing, and most of all enjoying the words falling from her mouth.

Hermione’s eyes opened with fear in her eyes, but she was in her own bed. The danger had passed. It was just another nightmare. She could feel the sweat around her, and threw back her covers.  She sat up and bent her knees to curl herself into a small ball. These dreams… she wished she didn’t have them.

She looked over to Ginny on the other side of the room in her bed, sleeping peacefully and with her earplugs firmly in place. After the second week of her waking up every other night panting or screaming or writhing in her sleep, Ginny took the selfish decision of earplugs instead of soothing her when she woke up. She only did so once, and was too scared of seeing it again, of hearing what they had gone through. Hermione had said nothing the first night she say Ginny with them, and she also noticed that Hermione had no problem with her wearing them. However, Ginny thought she was too proud to let herself be seen like that, so she let her alone with her pride.

Hermione trembled and hugged herself.  She looked at the sleeping Ginny, and felt a lonely tear leave her eyes. She made a decision and stepped out of the room.

The hall was empty, she could’ve chosen the kitchen to freshen herself up first, but went towards the attic. It had been great of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to let Harry and her stay with them until they decided what to do until autumn. Hermione was unsure between going back to Hogwarts; it was a changed place and so much had happened there last spring, and taking a position at the Ministry of Magic. She had offers from Kingsley Shacklebolt to join the Auror department and from Arthur Weasley to have an internship in Misuse of Muggle Artifacts. Amelia Bones had offered her a position in the Wizengamot, her and Harry were the youngest wizards since the formation of this group to be offered the position. Someone she dared not name had asked her if she would be interested to work as an Unspeakable, which was very fascinating and mysterious.  The last offer had been from Percy Weasley in name of the current Minister of Magic to work with him.  She was unsure. She had received a lot of money, an Order of Merlin and a lot of recognition, but she felt like she had fulfilled her duty, had made good decisions, she did not feel like a hero nor worthy of all the recognition and fame.

She walked slowly to the attic and knocked once. There was no answer from the men inside. She tried the door and it was open. She let herself in. Ron was sleeping belly down on his cot with a leg hanging to the side and the other on the length of the cot, yet the foot fell out of the cot as well. He had grown so tall. A snore assured her of his sleep. But she saw Harry with his glasses on , his hands beneath his head and eyes wide open, just by seeing him she knew he was immersed deep in thought. He had heard the knock but did not bother to answer, a look at his wristwatch was enough to know at midnight it had to be one of her visits. He was awake thinking of his future, and avoiding the nightmares.

One glance at the shaking Hermione was enough to know she had had another nightmare. And she knew that she one person that understood nightmares was Harry. She tried a smile as Harry glanced at her. Seeing her wearing his boxers and Ron’s oversized shirt to bed was an instant turn on. But her frightened features were more important, he was going to be patient tonight. She had come here because she needed him, after all.

She walked inside, taking a peek at Ron to confirm he was asleep. Her hands traveled up and down her exposed thighs, as she sat down beside him, he pulled himself further up and embraced her, she hugged him back and placed her fear within their warm bodies, letting it slowly seep out of them. 

“What was it about this time?” he asked softly.

“The Malfoy Manor again… and Bellatrix” she said, the last hushed word hesitant and fearful. Harry traced her forearm with his long fingers.

“Shh, love, she’s dead. We’re alive” he said and cradled her even closer. She gulped down her pain and shifted her eyes to his. They laid down together, her face buried in the crook of his shoulder, his arms encircling her hips and leisurely stroking her butt and back. Soon enough she stopped shivering. One of her hands moved from his shoulder to travel his arm and south.

 They could have held each other tight until sleep absorbed them, but neither of them fancied the idea of falling asleep. So instead, Hermione’s lips started pressing themselves into his skin, and then her tongue traced figures on his shoulder and neck, his condition started to make itself evident.

She felt his penus start to press against her lower abdomen and she was slightly thrilled.  She whispered into his ear, “Oh, Harry”, and proceeded to suck on his earlobe and play with it, her tongue then tracing the shell of his ear and nibbling on his earlobe.

A sudden gasp from him tore her away from his ear. He placed a hand lovingly to her cheek. She smiled into his gaze and their lips closed in towards the other. The kiss was of need, of shared pleasure and pain, of so much things that they went through together, surviving a basilisk and being here together in the end. Harry dared to squeeze her butt and got a delighted squeal in response. She was already smiling. He replied with a grin himself, then cast a Silencio and Muffliato around them to let Ron sleep. Tonight was going to be only theirs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As for this chapter, i have to show respect to these passages to helped me finish the story:
> 
>  
> 
> "Your mind is very interesting. It's very neatly compartmentalized. It makes it difficult to invade it," he said conversationally. Hermione paused in the consumption of the crème brûlée she had imagined into existence. He had tried to slip into her mind? Her eyes narrowed as she considered his words. He had never said that he had failed, only that it was difficult.  
>  "What did you find?" her voice rose slightly with worry. Half thought out and discarded plans, possible locations and hide outs, barely formed theories on the creation of new spells; everything pertaining to the war and ways to defeat him were floating about her mind, there for anyone capable enough to pick through her thoughts.  
>  In response to her question, he gave her a lazy smirk. Instead of commenting on anything about the war, or even the dark texts she was beginning to delve into, he made a very different observation. "You've read a book I haven't," he paused, "Quidditch Through The Ages."  
>  For days, the locket seemed to emanate a murderous rage. Hermione barely dared to touch it. Instead of wearing it about her neck, she kept it tied the belt loops of her pants.
> 
> \- Roadkill 2580: Deception and Diversion
> 
>  
> 
> If she was in bed, then she would be curled up next to that lucky bastard of a cat, Crookshanks. She would be wearing what she always wore to sleep—one of Potter’s boxers and one of Weasley’s shirts. He knew because he often had seen her sneak into the boys’ bedroom wearing just that. She always went to them for comfort after particularly bad nightmares. She considers them her family, he suspects. Sometimes Kingsley thinks she feels ashamed for loving them more than her parents.  
>  By: Gueneviere
> 
>  
> 
> Scorpius held Rose’s hand and started telling her a story of how his father saved her mother’s life during the second war, at Malfoy Manor, twenty-two years ago. Draco understood. Entwining his fingers with hers, and then bringing her hands to his mouth, he kissed her knuckles. “My aunt stood over you, and she began to cackle and laugh. She said, ‘The Mudblood’s dead. I killed her! Won’t the Dark Lord be pleased when he knows that I killed such an unholy stain?’ I was beside myself. I had to check to see if she was right, so I stood from my hiding place and walked up to where you lay, and looked down on you. 
> 
> “My aunt dared to take my hand. She squeezed it and smiled. I wanted to throw up, because you weren’t moving. Your chest wasn’t rising or falling, your eyelids weren’t flickering, and your lips were even turning blue. You were dying. You were dead, Hermione.”  
>  By: AnneM
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you for reading! Reviews are welcome and much loved.


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